Loretta Mae (Fielding) Roberge reunited with her beloved husband of 50 years Albert “Buttsie” Roberge on January 31, 2021. She was born in Honolulu Hawaii July 5, 1931 while her father was in the Navy but lived in her Mohegan homelands on land that her father owned for the remainder of her life. She graduated from Norwich Free Academy; attending with many of her Mohegan family members. She was a proud mother of 7 children: Laurence Roberge and wife Susan, Lynn Malerba and husband Paul, Elizabeth Roberge, Patricia Roberge and husband Karim Gittens, Michelle Fusco and husband David, Jeanette Ziegler and husband Louis and Suzette Antoniac and husband Ronald. She was the proud grandmother of 12 grandchildren: Kelly Wilson, Nicole Roberge, Daniel Roberge, Elizabeth Malerba, Angela Malerba, Mark Fusco, Christopher Fusco, Richard Gittens, Lucas Roberge, Brandon Roberge, Sydnie Ziegler and Ryan Ziegler. And she was fortunate to have 7 great grandchildren: Emma, Lyla, Fordson, Landon, Taylor, Connor, Charlotte Mae and an 8th on the way, Ava Lynn. While raising this big family and for years later, Loretta pursued a career doing what she did best – she went to work with children at Mohegan school as a teacher’s aide, ensuring that children who needed additional attention were cared for and encouraged to do their best. Just last year one of her former students surprised her by buying her breakfast. She treasured the lifelong friendships she made there and continued to speak with her friends regularly. Loretta descended from a long line of Mohegan Chiefs and important cultural figures. Her immediate family and her Mohegan cousins were an integral part of her life. She spent 30 years on the Mohegan Tribal Council (most of which were volunteer) at a time when the tribe had to pay dues to keep its government running. She and her contemporaries were responsible for attaining federal recognition of our continued existence, developing the first two phases of Mohegan Sun, protecting our sacred sites, passing on our culture and developing the services that our tribal members enjoy. For these reasons, Loretta holds the title of Nonner (Elder Woman of Respect). Our Medicine Woman Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel reflected on her efforts: “Her great love for so many and her generosity of spirit is legendary and I will cherish the honor of knowing her. That spirit is now deeply imbedded in Mohegan, forever. Her will was a powerful thing to behold and it is now part of the annals of great leadership of our amazing little nation that she helped raised from the ashes thru her belief and will alone”. Her tribal name was Ponemah which was bestowed upon her by our Medicine Woman and translated means “She who sees beauty in all”. That was such a fitting name given her belief in the goodness of everyone. Loretta was predeceased by her mother and father, Burrill and Vivian Fielding and her sisters: Meryl Heberding, Beryl Plante, Marie Gellner and Margaret LaVigne. In addition to her immediate family she is survived by many nieces and nephews, life-long friends, especially Maureen Rice who she met in high school, as well as her much beloved extended Mohegan Family. Our family especially wants to recognize our sister Liz for being our Mom’s primary care provider, protector and “quaranteam”, the staff on CCU and 4.2 at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital for their wonderful care during these last weeks and her long time physicians, Dr. Naomi Nomizu and Dr. Peter Milstein. Services will be private with just her children and grandchildren in attendance due to the COVID pandemic. In lieu of flowers we ask you to please consider a donation to Montville Social Services or to the Albert “Buttsie” and Loretta Roberge Fund at the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut.